Bergfest Berg near Ravensburg

Bergfest since 1966 — Musikverein Berg as organizer

Berg is a municipality with around 4,000 inhabitants in the Ravensburg district (Baden-Württemberg state, Oberschwaben), located on a hill above the Schussental valley between Ravensburg and Weingarten. Since 1966, the Musikverein Berg e.V. has hosted its annual Bergfest here — a four-day grand festival on the eponymous Bergfestwiese, which has long since become a pilgrimage site for friends of traditional brass music and Oberschwaben festival culture beyond the district borders. With over 50 years of history, the Bergfest is one of the oldest village festivals in the region.

Four festival days from Friday to Monday

The festival cycle traditionally runs from Friday evening to Monday evening. Friday begins with a ceremonial reception in the Bürgersaal and the honoring of deserving club members, followed by the traditional torchlight procession of the Bergfest-Trommler and Musikverein members to the Bergfestwiese, where the keg tapping is performed by the club board, the Farny brewery, and the previous year's Schützenkönig (king of marksmen).

Saturday — Children's Festival and Rock

Saturday is divided into two worlds: In the afternoon, there's a children's festival on the meadow (ages 3–15), opened at 1:30 PM by the Bergfest-Trommler with games like sack racing, basketball, craft activities, and performances by the youth band. In the evening at 8:00 PM, the Rock Night begins with the band Midnight Special (a regular guest in Berg for over 20 years) — an evening with a light show and dancing, accessible only to those aged 16 and over (party pass and ID check required).

Sunday — Frühschoppen, Berger Kulturwiese, and Shooting Competition

Sunday starts at 9:00 AM with the ecumenical church service on the church square (children's service in the community hall), followed by a procession to the festival tent and the traditional Frühschoppen (morning pint) concert with the friendly music bands Bergatreute and Zogenweiler. At 3:00 PM, the traditional Bergfestschießen takes place — a shooting competition for participants aged 40 and over at the shooting range of the marksmen's club. At 7:00 PM, the Berger Kulturwiese (free admission) has been hosting comedy and band contest performances since 2017.

Monday — Feierabendhock to wind down

Monday evening is the traditional Feierabendhock (after-work gathering) starting at 6:00 PM with the music bands Eschach and Bauernkapelle Oberschwaben. The catering offers sausage salad, bread, and draft beer to round off the festival — the most honest way to end a four-day event.

The Bergfest-Trommler and Berger Dorfmusikanten

Two homegrown ensembles shape the sound of the Bergfest: The Bergfest-Trommler have accompanied all processions and opening ceremonies as a marching band since 1991. The Berger Dorfmusikanten are a ten-piece party band with keyboards, electric bass, guitar, and vocals, which has been bringing the Friday evening to the Bergfestwiese for decades.